BOOM Esports sign former INTZ CS:GO roster
The Brazilian CS:GO roster, which formerly played under INTZ have reportedly been signed by an Indonesian esports organisation BOOM , who will provide them with a new home and a new banner to fight under.
The official announcement surfaced earlier this Monday, February 23, unveiling Gustavo "yel" Knittel and company, who have officially parted ways with INTZ earlier last week will now join BOOM Esports. The rumours of this move have been floating around for quite some time now and it seemed like it was only a matter of time before it will be officially confirmed.
Joining yel at the new organisation will be some prominent names in the LATAM CS:GO scene, including Ricardo "boltz" Prass, Bruno "shz" Martinelli and Marcelo "chelo" Cespedes, as well as João "felps" Vasconcellos, the latter being officially a member of MiBR since January 2019, however, has been an inactive member since June 2019. Since then he has been enjoying loan spells at Luminosity, ex-Luminosity, Team One and will now join BOOM Esports on a loan.
While under INTZ, the quintet of chelo, yeL, shz and boltz saw a fair amount of success, finishing fifth-sixth at DreamHack Open Atlanta 2019, third-fourth at ESEA Season 32: Global Challenge and won the WINNERS League – Season 3: North America Invite Division earlier in January. Unfortunately, INTZ disbanded on Tuesday, February 18, when the Brazillian esports organisation announced they will be parting ways with their entire CS:GO roster.
At that time, INTZ coach Alessandro "Apoka" Marcucci announced on Twitter that the team received an offer from a "different project", which ushered their decision to join a new organisation. ESL revealed later that the team would be playing in the next edition of ESL Pro League as BOOM Esports, which confirmed previous rumours which liked the Brazilians with a move to the Indonesian team.
BOOM Esports signed their first CS:GO lineup back in December 2016, while the organisation was still known as BOOM ID. Their first CS:GO team was assembled form some lesser-known Indonesian players in Harry "6fingers" Tjahjadi Putra, Gary "Natshuba" Ongko Putera, Alvincent "MaverickZz" Edelyn, Aaron "mindfreak" Leonhart and Nanda "asteriskk" Rizana. Over the next two years, BOOM saw a fair amount of success in some national and C-Tier tournaments.
The Indonesian squad finished top-four at ROG Masters 2017 – Indonesia, won WESG 2018 Southeast Asia: Indonesia and Indonesia Esports Games 2018, pocketed silver at Silver SLAM and WESG 2019 Southeast Asia: Indonesia, as well as hoisted the title of GeForce Cup Pacific – Indonesia and finished third at GeForce Cup Pacific earlier in January.
Hoping to make a breakthrough in the international scene, BOOM Esports has now acquired the full INTZ roster and their coach Apoka. The Brazillian CS:GO, squad's first test will come at the start of March when they will attend Americas Minor Championship – Rio 2020: South American Closed Qualifier.
Later on March 16, 2020, BOOM Esports will also attend ESL Pro League Season 11, where they will compete for the largest slice of US $750,000 in prize pool against some of the strongest teams in the world, including Astralis, Complexity, ENCE, Evil Genuises, FaZe Clan, Fnatic, G2 Esports, mousesports, Natus Vincere, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Team Liquid, Team Vitality and 100 Thieves, who are all partnered teams with ESL, following their signing of Louvre Agreement.
Joining the stacked lineup at ESL Pro League S11 we will also see TYLOO, Sharks Esports, North, Heroic, Renegades, forZe, FURIA, GODSENT, OG and Virtus.pro.
BOOM Esports CS:GO roster:
Gustavo "yel" Knittel
Ricardo "boltz" Prass
Bruno "shz" Martinelli
Marcelo "chelo" Cespedes
João "felps" Vasconcellos
Alessandro "Apoka" Marcucci – coach
